Somerset House’s ice rink barely needs introducing anymore – it just returns every November, reliable as clockwork. What’s different this year is everything built up around the ice: a properly refreshed Skate Lates DJ line-up, a Virgin Atlantic lounge to thaw out in, and a van whose entire job is serving Aperol Spritz to people about to fall over.
The basics
Skating itself isn’t free – tickets run £11 to £28.50 depending on the session – but wandering the courtyard, floodlit facade and towering tree included, costs nothing at all. The rink opens Wednesday 11 November and runs through to 10 January, with general sale tickets landing in September. There’s a pre-sale signup live now if you don’t want to wait and hope.
What’s actually new
The genuinely new bit is rink-side: an Aperol Spritz van, stationed for the evening sessions, which tells you most of what you need to know about who this event is for once the sun goes down. The Skate Lates DJ line-up gets a real refresh too – South Asian collective Daytimers, Netil Radio, Gauchoworld and the UKF bass-music crowd are all booked in, a step up from the usual festive playlist filler.
Everything that isn’t skating
Warm up in Virgin Atlantic’s free-to-enter Clubhouse, done out in a mid-century-lounge style that’s a step up from the usual branded tent, or eat raclette and other alpine standards at The Chalet by Jimmy Garcia. The Petits Chalets does the simpler stuff – hot drinks and German hot dogs – and there’s a Shelter Boutique pop-up running in partnership with HSBC UK.
Families get their own lane too: Weekend Skate School covers adults, teens and kids from six upwards, there’s a dedicated Kids’ Club for six-to-tens, and the rink runs both reduced-capacity Relaxed sessions and dedicated wheelchair skating slots.
Need to Know
- Dates: 11 November 2026 – 10 January 2027
- Location: Somerset House, Strand entrance, London WC2R 1LA
- Price: Free to enter the courtyard; skating from £11–£28.50
- Tickets: On general sale from September 2026 – pre-sale signup here
- Good for: Christmas dates, evening sessions with DJs, wheelchair and relaxed sessions
The London x London Take: Skate Lates tickets are usually the first thing to go once the rink opens, so if an evening slot with a DJ set (and a drink from that Aperol van) is the plan, book the moment the pre-sale opens rather than waiting for general release. Families are better off aiming for a weekday morning outside of half term – the courtyard gets properly rammed on December weekends.
